NOC closes out season with gear crazy GAF
A weekend featuring games, music, rafting, bike competitions and plenty more will comprise Nantahala Outdoor Center’s annual Guest Appreciation Festival Sept. 25-27.
For kids: Face-painting, crafts, games, button-making, contests and a bouncy house will keep kids entertained all weekend.
For paddlers: Rafting (and zip-lining too) will be available at a 15 percent discount, and a special release on the Cascades and Upper Nantahala will keep things exciting. A free shuttle will be offered for paddlers.
For gear-a-holics: A large-scale used gear sale will be held all weekend, with people from around the area selling off used outdoor equipment in a flea market style setting, a long-standing tradition of GAF. NOC sells its used equipment, as well, for great deals on brand name gear. Vendor applications are $75 and free for artisans and nonprofits, available online with the schedule.
For music lovers: Performances by The Freight Hoppers, Bayou Diesel Band and the Pioneer Chicken Stand Band will set the soundtrack to the weekend.
www.noc.com/events/guest-appreciation-festival-gaf.
Competition to showcase biker agility
Mountain bikers will have a chance to show their stuff in a bike agility competition set for 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at Nantahala Outdoor Center.
The contest requires participants to negotiate at least six sections of natural and man-made obstacles such as rocks, water and automobiles. The goal is to finish fast without letting one’s body touch the ground.
The GAF Bike Trials — the event runs concurrently with NOC’s Guest Appreciation Festival — are open to all ages, with categories for all skill levels.
$20. Registration is open online at http://bit.ly/1iDbreG through Sept. 23. Onsite registration will be held the day of the event from 9 to 11 a.m. near Big Wesser BBQ at NOC.
